The age-related progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, called sarcopenia, predisposes the elderly to frailty, fractures, loss of independence, morbidity, and mortality. Sarcopenia is an unresolved social burden due to growing healthcare costs associated with a super-aging society (1,2). Multiple factors contribute to muscle wasting during aging, including imbalanced protein turnover which results in an excessive myofibrillary protein breakdown (especially, type II myosin heavy chain, MyHC-II), changes in myofiber type composition, reduced regenerative capacity, increased reactive oxygen species, and low- grade chronic inflammation. Considering the growing interest in identifying natural active compounds useful in treating or preventing sarcopenia (3), we focused on the Equisetum arvense (EQ) medical plant containing anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory metabolites. Using several in vitro models mimicking muscle atrophy, we found that a standardized extract of EQ counteracted myotube diameter reduction and MyHC-II degradation blunting the activity of different catabolic pathways depending on the applied atrophying stimulus. Here, we investigated the effects of EQ administration on pre-geriatric (21-month-old) C57BL/6 mice by melting the extract (500 mg/kg/die) directly into the drinking water for 3 months. We found that EQ consumption during aging: i) improved muscle performance; ii) preserved muscle mass and myofiber area; iii) maintained the expression of fast MyHC-II balancing the shift towards slow MyHC-I; iv) preserved the levels of genes involved in the maintenance of muscle mass and fatty acid metabolism. Mechanisms underlying the effects of EQ consumption were also investigated. Our data suggest that EQ might be proposed as a new non-pharmacological treatment to preserve muscle functionality in sarcopenia conditions. 1. Cruz-Jentoft & Sayer, Lancet 2019; 2. Wiedmer et al., Ageing Res Rev. 2021; 3. Qu Z et al., J Nutr Biochem. 2021.
Equisetum arvense standardized extract hinders age-related sarcopenia
Salvadori L.
;Gentili G.;Chiappalupi S.;Sorci G.;Riuzzi F
2022
Abstract
The age-related progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, called sarcopenia, predisposes the elderly to frailty, fractures, loss of independence, morbidity, and mortality. Sarcopenia is an unresolved social burden due to growing healthcare costs associated with a super-aging society (1,2). Multiple factors contribute to muscle wasting during aging, including imbalanced protein turnover which results in an excessive myofibrillary protein breakdown (especially, type II myosin heavy chain, MyHC-II), changes in myofiber type composition, reduced regenerative capacity, increased reactive oxygen species, and low- grade chronic inflammation. Considering the growing interest in identifying natural active compounds useful in treating or preventing sarcopenia (3), we focused on the Equisetum arvense (EQ) medical plant containing anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory metabolites. Using several in vitro models mimicking muscle atrophy, we found that a standardized extract of EQ counteracted myotube diameter reduction and MyHC-II degradation blunting the activity of different catabolic pathways depending on the applied atrophying stimulus. Here, we investigated the effects of EQ administration on pre-geriatric (21-month-old) C57BL/6 mice by melting the extract (500 mg/kg/die) directly into the drinking water for 3 months. We found that EQ consumption during aging: i) improved muscle performance; ii) preserved muscle mass and myofiber area; iii) maintained the expression of fast MyHC-II balancing the shift towards slow MyHC-I; iv) preserved the levels of genes involved in the maintenance of muscle mass and fatty acid metabolism. Mechanisms underlying the effects of EQ consumption were also investigated. Our data suggest that EQ might be proposed as a new non-pharmacological treatment to preserve muscle functionality in sarcopenia conditions. 1. Cruz-Jentoft & Sayer, Lancet 2019; 2. Wiedmer et al., Ageing Res Rev. 2021; 3. Qu Z et al., J Nutr Biochem. 2021.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
